Five local charities disclosed recent cases of fraud, embezzlement or other losses on recent federal tax filings, according to a new national database created by The Washington Post.

Francis Parker School in Linda Vista lost approximately $312,000; Balboa Park Central saw losses of almost $50,000; Trauma Intervention Project of Vista was taken for about $26,000; and St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center in El Cajon lost almost $1 million on investments, records show. [See CEO's explanation of loss.]

The Charles I. Cheneweth Foundation of National City is also listed for unspecified losses in 2010, a year before it merged with Home of the Guiding Hands in El Cajon.

In all, the Post reported, more than 1,000 charities across the United States disclosed that money intended to be used for public good was diverted, usually by employees.

In exchange for their tax-free status, nonprofit corporations are required to make their filings with the Internal Revenue Service public. The forms contain a section where they have to disclose whether they “became aware during the year of a significant diversion of the organization’s assets.”

In general, the losses were not widely disclosed by charity officials beyond brief explanations at the bottom of federal tax filings.

Balboa Park Central, for example, formerly known as the House of Hospitality Association, issued a two-line declaration near the bottom of its form.

“During the year ended June 30, 2010, $49,745 was embezzled from the organization by a former employee,” Page 23 of the filing states. “$20,000 was recovered by insurance.”

Francis Parker School disclosed: “During the year ended June 30, 2011, the school determined that an employee had diverted approximately $312,000 of the school’s assets for the employee’s personal benefit over the course of several years.”

The disclosure noted the worker was fired and the school pressed charges. It also says insurance covered the losses and the school adopted stricter controls to prevent further theft.